Pyongyang Enters the Fray: Kim Jong Un Brands U.S. “Perpetrator of State Terrorism”
By Gemini News Service March 24, 2026
PYONGYANG, North Korea — In a stinging diplomatic broadside that signals a tightening of the “Anti-Western Axis,” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has officially labeled the United States a “perpetrator of state terrorism.” The remarks, delivered during an emergency meeting of the Central Military Commission and broadcast via the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), come as U.S. and Israeli forces ramp up high-intensity strikes against Iranian leadership and infrastructure.
The rhetoric marks a sharp escalation in Pyongyang’s involvement in the Middle East crisis, moving beyond mere arms shipments to a formal ideological alignment with Tehran.
The “Terrorism” Charge
Kim Jong Un’s statement specifically targeted President Trump’s recent approval of “decapitation strikes” against the Iranian command structure. Pyongyang argued that the U.S. policy of targeted assassinations and infrastructure sabotage constitutes a “hegemonic crime against sovereign dignity.”
“The United States has discarded the last mask of international law and revealed its true face as a perpetrator of state terrorism,” Kim stated. “By targeting the leadership of a sovereign state, Washington has invited a firestorm that will not be confined to the Middle East.”
Key points from the KCNA dispatch include:
- Condemnation of “Operation Epic Fury”: Pyongyang characterized the U.S. air campaign as a “blueprint for global instability.”
- Warnings of “Reciprocal Measures”: The North Korean leader hinted that his “strategic forces” are monitoring U.S. movements in the Pacific, suggesting that any further escalation in the Gulf could trigger a secondary crisis on the Korean Peninsula.
- Support for the “Axis of Resistance”: Kim reaffirmed North Korea’s “unwavering solidarity” with Iran, a relationship built on decades of missile and nuclear technology sharing.
Strategic Timing
Intelligence analysts believe Kim’s outburst is calculated to achieve several goals:
- Distraction: Forcing the U.S. to keep significant naval and air assets in the Pacific (INDOPACOM) rather than redeploying them to the Persian Gulf.
- Market Pressure: Adding a “Pacific Premium” to global oil and shipping costs, further straining a world economy already reeling from the $2 million transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Bolstering Tehran: Providing psychological support to Iranian leaders currently under fire, signaling they are not isolated on the world stage.
The Hardware Connection
The rhetoric follows reports that several of the “seven waves of missiles” launched by Iran overnight utilized guidance systems and airframe designs strikingly similar to North Korea’s Hwasong-series missiles.
“When Kim calls the U.S. a terrorist, he isn’t just talking; he’s sending a message that the weapons being fired at Tel Aviv have his fingerprint on them,” noted a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Washington’s Response
The White House has dismissed Kim’s comments as “expected bluster from a pariah state.” However, the Pentagon has reportedly moved a B-52 bomber task force to Guam as a “precautionary measure” to ensure that Kim does not attempt to exploit the U.S. focus on Iran to launch a provocation of his own.
As the “seven waves” of the overnight barrage continue to be analyzed, the addition of North Korea’s voice to the conflict confirms that the “regional” war in the Middle East has effectively become a global geopolitical confrontation.